Effects of Vip3Aa and Cry1Ac on enzyme activity in cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera larvae

为了明确Vip3Aa的作用机制,为其作为新毒素策略重要蛋白的应用提供理论依据,本文比较了Vip3Aa、Cry1Ac对棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera(Hübner)主要蛋白酶、解毒酶、APN活性的影响,并研究了Vip3Aa和Cry1Ac共同使用对几种酶活力的作用.室内生测结果表明,Vip3Aa对棉铃虫的杀虫效果低于Cry1Ac,但Vip3Aa对棉铃虫幼虫生长有明显的抑制作用.取食含Cry1Ac、Vip3Aa或Cry1Ac+Vip3Aa饲料的棉铃虫,总蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶活性很快升高;但经Cry1Ac处理12h后这2种酶活性与对照差异不显著或低于对照,而取食含Vip3Aa饲料的棉铃虫酶活力显著高于对照的时间明显延长,而且类胰蛋白酶活性也显著高于对照;表明Cry1Ac降解速度比Vip3Aa快,可能是由于降解2种蛋白参与的酶系存在差异,同时Cry1Ac+Vip3Aa混用可以延长蛋白被酶解的时间.谷胱甘肽S-转移酶和α-乙酸萘酯酶活性在棉铃虫取食含Vip3Aa、Cry1Ac或Cry1Ac+Vip3Aa蛋白的饲料后活性升高,说明这2种酶可能参与了对Cry1Ac、Vip3Aa的解毒作用.但Cry1Ac、Vip3Aa对氨肽酶活性影响不大,可能在毒蛋白发挥毒性的过程中与氨肽酶活力变化无关.     

Cry2Ab及Cry1Ac杀虫蛋白对棉铃虫中肠蛋白酶活性的影响

为明确Cry2Ab和Cry1Ac2种Bt杀虫蛋白单用与混用对棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera（Htibner）中肠主要蛋白酶活性的影响,本文测定了取食含不同Bt蛋白人工饲料后棉铃虫中肠总蛋白酶、类胰蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶活性的差异。结果发现：Cry2Ab处理12h后对棉铃虫中肠总蛋白酶影响不大;对类胰蛋白酶的影响最大,除最高浓度处理外,其他浓度处理后棉铃虫类胰蛋白酶的活性明显高于对照;但对类胰凝乳蛋白酶活性的影响呈倒“V”字型,只有6．67ug／gCry2Ab处理后的棉铃虫酶活力显著高于对照,其他浓度处理与对照差异不显著或略低于对照;随着取食含Cry2Ab饲料时间的增加,棉铃虫中肠类胰蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶的活性比对照显著增加;与对照相比,处理36h后类胰蛋白酶活性最高可增加到6．43倍。Cry1Ac处理棉铃虫12h后总蛋白酶、类胰蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶活性都明显增加,而且与处理浓度呈正相关;但是24h后,处理后棉铃虫的总蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶活性明显降低,只有类胰蛋白酶活性仍高于对照,但活性增长倍数低于12h时的处理。Cru2Ab和Cry1Ac2种蛋白混用处理棉铃虫后,2种酶的酶活力基本低于Cry1Ac和Cry2Ab单用的酶活力之和;只有2种蛋白浓度均为2．22ug／g混用时,处理12h后类胰蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶的活性高于2种蛋白单用时酶活力之和,且都显著的高于对照。     

The effects of Cry2Ab and Cry1Ac insecticidal proteins on protease activity in the midgut of Helicoverpa armigera

为明确Cry2Ab和Cry1Ac 2种Bt杀虫蛋白单用与混用对棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera(Hübner)中肠主要蛋白酶活性的影响,本文测定了取食含不同Bt蛋白人工饲料后棉铃虫中肠总蛋白酶、类胰蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶活性的差异.结果发现:Cry2Ab处理12h后对棉铃虫中肠总蛋白酶影响不大;对类胰蛋白酶的影响最大,除最高浓度处理外,其他浓度处理后棉铃虫类胰蛋白酶的活性明显高于对照;但对类胰凝乳蛋白酶活性的影响呈倒“V”字型,只有6.67μg／g Cry2Ab处理后的棉铃虫酶活力显著高于对照,其他浓度处理与对照差异不显著或略低于对照;随着取食含Cry2Ab饲料时间的增加,棉铃虫中肠类胰蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶的活性比对照显著增加;与对照相比,处理36h后类胰蛋白酶活性最高可增加到6.43倍.Cry1Ac处理棉铃虫12h后总蛋白酶、类胰蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶活性都明显增加,而且与处理浓度呈正相关;但是24h后,处理后棉铃虫的总蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶活性明显降低,只有类胰蛋白酶活性仍高于对照,但活性增长倍数低于12h时的处理.Cry2Ab和Cry1Ac 2种蛋白混用处理棉铃虫后,2种酶的酶活力基本低于Cry1Ac和Cry2Ab单用的酶活力之和;只有2种蛋白浓度均为2.22μg/g混用时,处理12b后类胰蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶的活性高于2种蛋白单用时酶活力之和,且都显著的高于对照.     

棉铃虫幼虫取食Vip3Aa蛋白后的中肠组织病理变化

为了进一步明确Vip3Aa的作用机制, 利用透射电镜观察了棉铃虫4龄幼虫取食含Vip3Aa蛋白饲料后中肠杯状细胞的病理变化, 并比较了其病变与取食含Cry1Ac饲料后棉铃虫组织病变的差异。取食含Vip3Aa饲料后, 棉铃虫幼虫的中肠杯状细胞逐渐发生病变, 主要表现为： 微绒毛肿胀、 脱落; 细胞核核膜界限不清晰, 染色质分布不均匀; 线粒体变形、 数量减少, 内脊不清晰; 内质网杂乱不规则、 数量减少。与取食Cry1Ac的棉铃虫相比, 取食Vip3Aa的棉铃虫中肠杯状细胞发生病变较为缓慢, 在取食12 h后才发现明显病变, 随着取食时间的增加病变越来越明显; 而取食Cry1Ac的棉铃虫2 h后中肠杯状细胞就出现明显病变。本研究可为Vip3Aa作为新毒素策略的重要蛋白在棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera综合防治中更好地发挥作用提供理论依据。     

棉铃虫对不同Bt蛋白的抗性及交互抗性研究

【目的】棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera(Hübner)对Bt(Bacillus thuringiensis)的抗性问题是阻碍Bt抗虫棉持续发展的关键,探究棉铃虫对不同Bt蛋白的抗性演化趋势及交互抗性,可为选择合适的抗虫棉花备选基因提供参考。【方法】在室内通过连续多代筛选,获得了5个对Bt具有不同抗性的品系,利用饲料混合法测定了这些品系棉铃虫的交互抗性。【结果】经筛选后棉铃虫对Cry1Ac产生了超高水平的抗性、对Cry2Ab、Vip3Aa产生了超低抗性(耐性);Cry1Ac抗性棉铃虫停止筛选而换成Cry2Ab或Vip3Aa继续筛选后,棉铃虫对Cry1Ac抗性水平明显降低,对Cry2Ab或Vip3Aa产生低抗或超低抗性(耐性)。Cry1Ac抗性棉铃虫对Cry1Ab敏感性显著降低,而对Cry2Ab、Cry2Ah及Vip3Aa敏感性变化不显著;Cry2Ab抗性品系棉铃虫对Cry1Ac敏感性显著降低;Vip3Aa抗性品系棉铃虫对Cry1Ac敏感性变化不显著。说明Cry1Ac与Cry1Ab间存在明显交互抗性,与Cry2Ah、Vip3Aa没有交互抗性;而Cry2Ab与Cry1Ac间存在不对称的交互抗性。【结论】在筛选新杀虫基因或叠加基因时,应充分考虑抗性发展及交互抗性问题,Cry2Ah、Vip3Aa是治理Cry1Ac抗性棉铃虫或与Cry1Ac叠加最优的选择。     

棉铃虫中肠钙粘蛋白、氨肽酶N及碱性磷酸酯酶的抗血清对Cry1Ac和Cry2Aa毒力的影响

【目的】Cry1A和Cry2A类Bt蛋白通过特异性地与昆虫中肠上的受体蛋白结合而发挥杀虫作用,现已广泛应用于转基因抗虫作物。本研究旨在进一步明确Cry2A类蛋白的作用机制和Cry1A受体蛋白在Cry2A发挥毒力中的作用。【方法】本研究首先提取了棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera的BBMV,制备了钙粘蛋白(CAD)、氨肽酶N(APN)和碱性磷酸酯酶(ALP)3种受体蛋白的抗体和抗血清;然后,利用Western blot检测BBMV上这3种受体蛋白后,利用抗体封闭技术比较了敏感棉铃虫和Cry1Ac抗性棉铃虫(BtR)中3种受体蛋白的抗血清对Cry1Ac和Cry2Aa毒力的影响。【结果】对敏感品系棉铃虫,这3种已知的Cry1Ac受体蛋白抗血清显著地降低了Cry1Ac和Cry2Aa的毒力。其中APN抗血清对Cry1Ac毒力的影响最大,棉铃虫幼虫的死亡率降低了84.44%;ALP抗血清对Cry2Aa的毒力影响最大,棉铃虫幼虫死亡率比对照降低了71.04%。Cry1Ac对Cry1Ac抗性棉铃虫(BtR)的毒力显著降低,Cry2Aa的毒性也减弱。在Cry1Ac抗性棉铃虫(BtR)中,3种受体抗血清对Cry1Ac的影响比在敏感棉铃虫中的影响小,尤其是CAD和APN抗血清对Cry1Ac毒力的抑制率显著低于在敏感棉铃虫中的抑制作用;CAD和ALP抗血清对Cry2Aa毒力的影响与在敏感棉铃虫中的影响差异不显著,但APN抗血清可以显著降低Cry2Aa对Cry1Ac抗性棉铃虫(BtR)的毒力。【结论】棉铃虫CAD,APN和ALP不仅参与了Cry1Ac的杀虫过程,也对Cry2Aa毒力有一定的影响,而且这3种蛋白可能与棉铃虫对Cry1Ac和Cry2Aa产生抗性及交互抗性相关。     

Cry1Ac杀虫蛋白对粘虫中肠几种酶活性的影响

为阐明Bt杀虫蛋白对次要靶标害虫粘虫Mythimna separata (Walker) （鳞翅目： 夜蛾科）的生理学影响, 本研究分析比较了粘虫高龄幼虫在室内取食低剂量Cry1Ac杀虫蛋白6, 12, 24和36 h后, 其体内主要的解毒酶（酯酶和谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶）、 保护酶（超氧化物歧化酶、 过氧化氢酶和过氧化物酶）和中肠蛋白酶（总蛋白酶、 强碱性类胰蛋白酶、 弱碱性类胰蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶）等活性的变化。结果表明, 取食Cry1Ac杀虫蛋白后, 粘虫幼虫体内相关酶活力呈现不同的变化趋势： （1）酯酶、 谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶、 过氧化物酶(POD)、 类胰蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶活力较对照显著降低（P<0.05）; （2）超氧化物歧化酶(SOD) 活力较对照显著升高（P<0.05）; （3）过氧化氢酶(CAT) 活力于6, 12和24 h显著低于对照（P<0.05）, 36 h时显著高于对照（P<0.05）。结果提示Cry1Ac杀虫蛋白主要通过抑制粘虫幼虫中肠解毒酶和蛋白酶的活性, 扰乱SOD, CAT 和POD 3种保护酶的动态平衡而干扰幼虫的正常生理代谢, 从而起到毒杀粘虫的作用。     

PxCAD1与Cry1Ac蛋白混合物对小菜蛾生长发育及体内酶活性的影响

[目的]PxCAD1肽段可显著增强Cry1Ac的杀虫活性,探究其与Cry1Ac混合物对靶标昆虫生物学及体内酶活性的影响对明确其增效机制具有重要意义.[方法]采用叶片浸渍法,以PxCAD1肽段与Cry1Ac毒素的混合蛋白饲喂小菜蛾Plutella xylostella3龄幼虫,观察并统计小菜蛾死亡率、化蛹率和羽化率,并测定小菜蛾幼虫体体内羧酸酯酶、谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶、总蛋白酶和类胰蛋白酶的变化趋势.[结果]与对照相比,处理组幼虫的死亡率显著升高,化蛹率减少,羽化率显著降低;3龄幼虫在取食PxCAD1肽段与Cry1Ac毒素混合蛋白24 h和48 h后,羧酸酯酶活性显著升高,72 h显著降低,谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶活性在24 h显著升高,48 h显著降低,72 h则无显著差异,而总蛋白酶活性仅在72 h显著低于对照,类胰蛋白酶活性在各时间点无显著变化.[结论]PxCAD1不仅对Cry1Ac具有显著增效作用,同时对小菜蛾幼虫的生长发育及体内羧酸酯酶、谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶及总蛋白酶的活性产生不利影响.该结果将有助于进一步研究中肠受体蛋白对Cry1Ac的增效机制.     

苏云金芽胞杆菌Vip3AaAdAa嵌合蛋白的构建及其杀虫活性分析

Vip3A类杀虫蛋白是一类新型杀虫蛋白,在氨基酸序列上与研究较为深入的Cry蛋白没有同源性,且昆虫受体结合位点与Cry蛋白也没有竞争关系。利用同源重组技术针对对甜菜夜蛾具有高活性的Vip3Aa39与无活性的Vip3Ad开展研究,成功构建了三个vip3AaAdAa型嵌合基因,将其转入大肠杆菌中表达嵌合蛋白Vip3AaAdAa1、Vip3AaAdAa2、Vip3AaAdAa3,并将这三种嵌合蛋白对甜菜夜蛾进行了杀虫活性测定。研究表明,三种嵌合蛋白对甜菜夜蛾具有杀虫活性,Vip3AaAdAa3蛋白的LC_(50)值比Vip3Aa39增加了1.4倍,Vip3AaAdAa1蛋白的LC_(50)值比Vip3Aa39增加了2.7倍,嵌合蛋白Vip3AaAdAa1和Vip3AaAdAa3的杀虫活性均低于Vip3Aa39;Vip3AaAdAa2的杀虫活性与Vip3Aa39差异不显著。     

取食Cry2Ab蛋白后棉铃虫幼虫中肠组织的病理变化

为了明确Cry2Ab杀虫蛋白的作用机制, 利用透射电镜观察了棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner)3龄末幼虫取食含Cry2Ab蛋白（8 μg/g）饲料后中肠的组织病理变化, 并与分别取食含Cry1Ac蛋白（0.97 μg/g）饲料和正常饲料的棉铃虫进行了比较。结果表明： 棉铃 虫取食Cry2Ab蛋白后中肠细胞及其细胞器均发生了明显的病变, 主要表现为： 中肠杯状细胞的杯腔肿胀或拉长, 部分柱状细胞被杯状细 胞挤压出来, 微绒毛脱落, 细胞核皱缩, 质膜和核膜不清晰, 染色质凝聚, 线粒体拉伸变形, 内质网肿胀断裂; 并且随着取食时间 的延长病变越来越明显。与取食Cry1Ac蛋白的棉铃虫相比, Cry2Ab引起棉铃虫中肠组织发生病变的速度较慢。本研究可为Cry2Ab作为转基 因棉花的重要杀虫蛋白在将来更好地发挥作用提供理论依据。     

Vip3Aa tolerance response of Helicoverpa armigera populations from a Cry1Ac cotton planting region

Transgenic cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., that expresses the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry1Ac toxin, holds great promise in controlling target insect pests. Evolution of resistance by target pests is the primary threat to the continued efficacy of Bt cotton. To thwart pest resistance evolution, a transgenic cotton culitvar that produces two different Bt toxins, cry1Ac and vip3A genes, was proposed as a successor of cry1Ac cotton. This article reports on levels of Vip3Aa tolerance in Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) populations from the Cry1Ac cotton planting region in China based on bioassays of the F1 generation of isofemale lines. In total, 80 isofemale families of H. armigera from Xiajin county of Shandong Province (an intensive Bt cotton planting area) and 93 families from Anci county of Hebei Province (a multiple-crop system including corn [Zea mays L.] , soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), and Bt cotton) were screened with a discriminating concentration of both Cry1Ac- and Vip3A-containing diets in 2009. From data on the relative average development rates and percentage of larval weight inhibition of F1 full-sib families tested simultaneously on Cry1Ac and Vip3Aa, results indicate that responses to Cry1Ac and Vip3Aa were not genetically correlated in field population ofH. armigera. This indicates that the threat of cross-resistance between Cry1Ac and Vip3A is low in field populations of H. armigera. Thus, the introduction of Vip3Aa/Cry1Ac-producing lines could delay resistance evolution in H. armigera in Bt cotton planting area of China.     

Bt Proteins Have No Detrimental Effects on Larvae of the Green Lacewing, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chrysopa pallens</Emphasis> (Rambur) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Biosafety of a genetically modified crop is required to be assessed prior to its commercialization. For this, a suitable artificial diet was developed and used to establish a dietary exposure test for assessing the toxicity of midgut-active Bt insecticidal proteins on Chrysopa pallens (Rambur). Subsequently, this dietary exposure test was used to evaluate the toxicity of the proteins Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry1Ah, Cry1Ca, Cry1F, Cry2Aa, Cry2Ab, and Vip3Aa on C. pallens larvae. Temporal stability, bioactivity, and the intake of the insecticidal proteins were confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and a sensitive-insect bioassay. The life history characteristics, such as survival, pupation, adult emergence, 7-day larval weight, larval developmental time, and emerged male and female fresh weights remained unaffected, when C. pallens were fed the pure artificial diet (negative control) and the artificial diets containing 200 μg/g of each purified protein: Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry1Ah, Cry1Ca, Cry1F, Cry2Aa, Cry2Ab, or Vip3Aa. On the contrary, all of the life history characteristics of C. pallens larvae were adversely affected when fed artificial diet containing boric acid (positive control). The results demonstrate that diets containing the tested concentrations of Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry1Ah, Cry1Ca, Cry1F, Cry2Aa, Cry2Ab, and Vip3Aa have null effects on C. pallens larvae. The outcome indicates that genetically modified crops expressing the tested Bt proteins are safe for the lacewing, C. pallens.     

A novel 96-kDa aminopeptidase localized on epithelial cell membranes of Bombyx mori midgut, which binds to Cry1Ac toxin of Bacillus thuringiensis

Proteins in the brush border membrane (BBM) of the midgut binding to the insecticidal Cry1Ac toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis were investigated to examine the lower sensitivity of Bombyx mori to Cry1Ac, and new aminopeptidase N that bound to Cry1Ac was discovered. DEAE chromatography of Triton X-100-soluble BBM proteins from the midgut revealed 96-kDa aminopeptidase that bound to Cry1Ac. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity and estimated to be a 96.4-kDa molecule on a silver-stained SDS-PAGE gel. However, the native protein was eluted as a single peak corresponding to approximately 190-kDa on gel filtration and gave a single band on native PAGE. The enzyme was determined to be an aminopeptidase N (APN96) from its substrate specificity. Antiserum to class 3 B. mori APN (BmAPN3) recognized APN96, but peptide mass fingerprinting revealed that 54% of the amino acids of matched peptides were identical to those of BmAPN3, suggesting that APN96 was a novel isoform of the APN3 family. On ligand blots, APN96 bound to Cry1Ac but not Cry1Aa or Cry1Ab, and the interaction was inhibited by GalNAc. K(D) of the APN96-Cry1Ac interaction was determined to be 1.83 +/- 0.95 microM. The lectin binding assay suggested that APN96 had an N-linked bi-antennal oligosaccharide or an O-linked mucin type one. The role of APN96 was discussed in relation to the insensitivity of B. mori to Cry1Ac.     

Toxicity of Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal proteins for Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa punctigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), major pests of cotton

The susceptibilities of the major pests of cotton in Australia, Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa punctigera, to some insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis were tested by bioassay. A commercial formulation, DiPel, and individual purified insecticidal proteins were tested. H. armigera was consistently more tolerant to B. thuringiensis insecticidal proteins than was H. punctigera, although both were susceptible to only a limited range of these proteins. Only Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry2Aa, Cry2Ab, and Vip3A killed H. armigera at dosages that could be considered acceptable. There was no significant difference in the toxicities of Cry1Fa and Cry1Ac for H. punctigera but Cry1Fa had little toxicity for H. armigera. The five instars of H. armigera did not differ significantly in their susceptibility to DiPel on the basis of LC(50). However, there were significant differences in the susceptibility to Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa of three strains of H. armigera. Bioassays conducted with Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa showed that there was a small but significant negative interaction between these delta-endotoxins.     

Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Aa toxin-binding region of Bombyx mori aminopeptidase N

The Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Aa toxin-binding region of Bombyx mori aminopeptidase N (APN) was analyzed, to better understand the molecular mechanism of susceptibility to the toxin and the development of resistance in insects. APN was digested with lysylendopeptidase and the ability of the resulting fragments to bind to Cry1Aa and 1Ac toxins was examined. The binding abilities of the two toxins to these fragments were different. The Cry1Aa toxin bound to the fragment containing 40-Asp to 313-Lys, suggesting that the Cry1Aa toxin-binding site is located in the region between 40-Asp and 313-Lys, while Cry1Ac toxin bound exclusively to mature APN. Next, recombinant APN of various lengths was expressed in Escherichia coli cells and its ability to bind to Cry1Aa toxin was examined. The results localized the Cry1Aa toxin binding to the region between 135-Ile and 198-Pro.     

Binding of Phylogenetically Distant Bacillus thuringiensis Cry Toxins to a Bombyx mori Aminopeptidase N Suggests Importance of Cry Toxin's Conserved Structure in Receptor Binding

We investigated the binding proteins for three Cry toxins, Cry1Aa, Cry1Ac, and the phylogenetically distant Cry9Da, in the midgut cell membrane of the silkworm. In a ligand blot experiment, Cry1Ac and Cry9Da bound to the same 120-kDa aminopeptidase N (APN) as Cry1Aa. A competition experiment with the ligand blot indicated that the three toxins share the same binding site on several proteins. The values of the dissociation constants of the three Cry toxins and 120-kDa APN are as low as the case of other Cry toxins and receptors. These results suggest that distantly related Cry toxins bind to the same site on the same proteins, especially with APN. We propose that the conserved structure in these three toxins includes the receptor-binding site. Received: 12 January 1998 / Accepted: 17 February 1999     

Transgenic cotton co-expressing chimeric Vip3AcAa and Cry1Ac confers effective protection against Cry1Ac-resistant cotton bollworm

Wide planting of transgenic Bt cotton in China since 1997 to control cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) has increased yields and decreased insecticide use, but the evolution of resistance to Bt cotton by H. armigera remains a challenge. Toward developing a new generation of insect-resistant transgenic crops, a chimeric protein of Vip3Aa1 and Vip3Ac1, named Vip3AcAa, having a broader insecticidal spectrum, was specifically created previously in our laboratory. In this study, we investigated cross resistance and interactions between Vip3AcAa and Cry1Ac with three H. armigera strains, one that is susceptible and two that are Cry1Ac-resistant, to determine if Vip3AcAa is a good candidate for development the pyramid cotton with Cry1Ac toxin. Our results showed that evolution of insect resistance to Cry1Ac toxin did not influence the sensitivity of Cry1Ac-resistant strains to Vip3AcAa. For the strains examined, observed mortality was equivalent to the expected mortality for all the combinations of Vip3AcAa and Cry1Ac tested, reflecting independent activity between these two toxins. When this chimeric vip3AcAa gene and the cry1Ac gene were introduced into cotton, mortality rates of Cry1Ac resistant H. armigera larvae strains that fed on this new cotton increased significantly compared with larvae fed on non-Bt cotton and cotton producing only Cry1Ac. These results suggest that the Vip3AcAa protein is an excellent option for a “pyramid” strategy for pest resistance management in China.